Biden approval rating dip

by Brayden Yee

Photo from Gallup

Since the beginning of Biden’s presidency, his public approval rating has dropped from a high of 60% during the honeymoon period to a current low of 39%. Biden began his presidency with a big advantage, in having control of the House and the Senate, although it was by a small margin. The dip in approval rating is believed to stem from pandemic expectations and disappointing voters on key campaign promises.

Biden’s presidency has suffered two big dips from major events. The shaky military withdrawal from Afghanistan and subsequent takeover by the Taliban marked the first major dip in his presidency. The second major dip came from COVID variants, notably Delta and Omicron. Biden’s pledge to “shut down the virus, not the country” has fallen rather flat, with COVID numbers growing massively during the new year.

Biden’s reputation as a moderate drew many to vote for him during the 2020 election, but his approval is souring on both ends of the political spectrum. Moderate Democrats are not satisfied with his efforts of trying to pass bills from the more progressive wing, such as the $2 trillion climate and social services spending bill.

His disapproval from the progressive Democrats has also gone down. While his legislative accomplishments include the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package and the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, he failed to win over support for his signature plan dubbed Build Back Better. Additionally, Biden has not lived up to campaign promises for canceling student debt or enacting effective climate policies.

As the 2022 midterms approach, Biden’s approval rating will have a major effect on the results. While some of the public remains somewhat confident in Biden’s ability to lead the country, the majority of Americans disapprove of the president's capabilities. The midterms will likely be treated as minimizing losses for the Democratic Party.